10 Lame Breakup Excuses You Should Never Fall For

Breaking up with someone is definitely not the easiest thing in the world – and that’s exactly why so many people resort to lame breakup excuses that just make their ex-partner feel even worse than they already do. When you’re ending things with someone, there is almost always only one reason why: you don’t feel the same way about them anymore. You’re not into them anymore. You just don’t want to be with them.

That’s hard to say, and it’s hard to hear, which is why that kind of honesty rarely happens. If a guy gives you a line like one of the below, don’t kid yourself: the only time dudes dump girls they still love is in the movies. Wouldn’t it be nice to hear the truth, even though it will hurt? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear a guy say, “I’m just not that into you anymore,” instead of something like “maybe in the future,” so that you can move on and give up hope? I think it would be great. Just so you’re informed, here are 10 lame breakup excuses you should never fall for. Remember: someone isn’t going to dump you if what they really want is to be with you. Because that would make no sense.

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You Deserve Better

"You deserve better" or "you're too good for me" are the same thing - and they're both insanely lame. It's a "nice" way for a guy to dump you because of two things: one, you'll take it as a weird compliment. Two, he ends up looking kind of okay, because you start to think, 'it was kind of nice of him to break up with me because he knew I was too good for him." In reality, he is just giving this excuse because he knows it sounds nice, and he doesn't want to hurt your feelings. We even asked a real dude about this and he told us: it's lame. It doesn't really mean anything. And it's cowardly.

I'm Scared Of Commitment

Oh, the old scared of commitment line. Yes, some people can be a little fearful of committing to someone else. But if a guy REALLY likes you, he will not dump you because he's scared of commitment. He's dumping you because he's scared to commit to you because he doesn't like you enough - that's the hard truth.

I'm Not Ready For A Relationship Right Now

This one is so annoying, because almost everyone who spits out this line will be in a relationship with a different person in a few weeks or months. When someone says this, they mean they're not ready for a relationship with you. That's it.

Whoever Ends Up With You Is So Lucky

This is SO ANNOYING. I have had at least three different guys say this to me, and it's so lame I can't even stand it. It's another way for a guy to say "you deserve better." Basically, they're trying to let you down easy by being like, "You're SO amazing. I just can't be with you." Why? Because I'm so amazing? That makes no sense. If whoever ends up with me is going to be so lucky, then why can't that someone be you? It's just a lame way for him to try to dump you nicely.

...Silence....

Cutting things off without a word is probably the lamest breakup excuse out there because it's something only a coward would do... and unfortunately, it happens all the time. If he just stops talking to you and starts ignoring you, count yourself as lucky. This guy is immature and too selfish to respect you enough to give you any kind of reason (even a made up one).

Can We Take A Break?

"Can we take a break" means one of three things. One, he wants to break up for good but he's a little nervous about it, so he pulls this. Two, he wants to break up for good but also wants to keep hooking up until he finds someone else. Or three, he wants to see what else is out there and if he can't find anything better, he'll have you as a backup. All of these things suck.

I Just Really Need To Focus On School Right Now

He's not dumping you just because he needs to focus on school (or work or whatever). He's dumping you because he doesn't care about you enough to make you a priority anymore. If someone really likes you and cares about you, they won't be like, "Hold on, just need to focus on other things for a while, sorry." They will make it work.

I Just Need A Little Space

"I need space" is so incredibly vague that you're left wondering exactly what he means. How long does he need space for? Why does he need space? Does he eventually want to get back together? There are so many questions left. This is a cliche line, and it's just lame. End of story.

This is the two I got, I don’t wanna break up I just wanna be single for awhile….Oooo and this one I’m tired of validating my love for you, that’s poison and not real love in a relationship it’s just a mind Fcuk I won’t do this anymore end of text. Still no verbal on a break up. This was from the same person lolol in a text message, couldn’t even call me on the phone, or say it to my face . What a coward. Here’s another one we are both adults we aren’t teenagers in love we have responsibilities. Isn’t love like being all stupid with your best friend, am I wrong??

R Michael Torrey

10 lame breakup excuses? As a guy, I’ve heard every single one of these from girls. Don’t make it out to be a ‘guy’ thing to do this. Everyone uses these. Last one was silence, and after a bit of prompting, the “I just really want to be on my own I suppose. ” varient. Would rather hear “It’s just not working for me. ” any day.

Benjamin

Hi, I was actuallty looking for breakup excuses girls make. Are they pretty much the same? I must say that I get silence most of the time… Though when I prompted the last ex-gf tgis turned into an “it’s not you, it’s me”.

Which is just infuriating. Seriously. I don’t want to stuff things up with the next girl. So if I’m doing something wrong please say so. Then I can do my best to improve. All these lame excuses tell me nothing.

Marley

I have a bf and wanna break up with him but he’s don’t nothing wrong Exept hang out with his so called cousin A LOT I guess I wanna break up because I wanna date another boy but…. idk so what do I say??

Anaya

My ex used the saying “its not you it’s me” which I looked up and it meant it was me along, we didn’t talk for like 5 months. And then I was alone in the hallway and he called my name and I turned around and it was him I guess I was so happy to see him that I forgot what he did to me and how he treated me like a dog. I should’ve known better than to get back together with him I should’ve kept on walking. But as of now we’re not talking I guess I couldn’t fit into his so called schedule and plus I didn’t even ask for a lot from him. But our book is done and I know what I want in a relationship and I believe that young women that don’t ask for a lot deserve it all. His loss, not mine.

T

You forgot “I was drunk”. Like if we were at a party and got drunk and hooked up…been in a relationship for a week and than poof.

Awesomeness

needing space is a legit reason for breaking things off with someone. sometimes a person just needs to see if they can *i know this sounds cheesy but* live without you. also it can be an issue of clingy-ness on both parts, who likes to feel suffocated?

erin

i have heard 8/10 of these things from one person smh

cody

Same here, I have heard 8 of 10 from one girl in one week.

kristin

Firstly, school should be top priority because the strength and stability of your relationship aren’t going to do jack when it comes to getting into uni or getting a job, I’ve never put anyone that isn’t family before my work because I would actually like to be completely independent.
Secondly, needing space can be a totally legitimate reason, because whether you’ve been together for years or weeks your partner or now ex could have been going through stuff they weren’t comfortable being open about, and don’t think there’s no way you could have missed that because people are really really good at pretending everything is fine.
The misspelling of “that” in the intro and the poor motivation for these points is really disappointing.

Pat

Why do you have to be creative when you break up? The reason those lines are cliches, is because people use them a lot. Because they fit. Personally, I’d rather be let down nicely, because at least then he TRIES to not hurt my feelings, than “yeah, I just don’t like you anymore.”

Jane

Number 5 happened to me. then 3 weeks later I heard from my friend (who had to go and speak to him because i was too scared to do it myself) that his friends were jealous of the ammount of time he spent with me, so they ditched him so he had to focus on them for a while, and then he’d start talking to me again. Firstly, he was too cowardly to actually give me a reason, so he just stopped talking to me. Secondly, when he was forced to give a reason, he gave one that would make me feel really rubbish and guilty. Thirdly, he gave me false hope that he’d come back one day, so that he could have the feeling of seeing someone cry over him again and again. And there was me thinking he was “sweet, kind and considerate”. Pff…

Veena

Honestly, I don’t agree with like half the excuses. They are not all lame!

Like I’m not in a relationship, but all of these apply for why I don’t want to be in one.
I don’t want the commitment that comes along with relationships; right now I’d rather be a free spirit. Also, focusing on school? That is more important when you are younger, like high school. If I were to be in a relationship, I wouldn’t have the time to freaking spend a lot of my time with a boyfriend. I’m taking 5 AP classes right now!

Also, the “whoever ends up with you is lucky” isn’t crap as long as there is a valid reason for breaking up. If you aren’t right for the person, why stay with them. I feel like this post is contradictory.

carmen

My first boyfriend told me that I deserved better than him but at that time I didn’t know what he meant or why he would say that. But every since we broke up I know that what he said was right. I definitely deserved better than him and I’m so glad that I’m not with him anymore.